Back To The Future
Henley Royal Regatta are broadcasting again
WORDS TOM MORGAN
PHOTOGRAPHY NAOMI BAKER
Henley Royal Regatta is renowned for its timeless quality. Steeped in eccentricity and colour, the event is a tribute to the character of British tradition.Standing on the bank, it is easy to transport yourself to a time gone by. Each year of the regatta will be remembered differently; 2015 however was something new. It was a time of change.
In a year when Sir Steve Redgrave, Britain’s most successful rower, took charge of the Henley Royal Regatta, it was perhaps appropriate that the event went in a new direction. It was announced in March 2015 that, for the first time since 1976, the regatta would be broadcast live. Punters would be able to watch the action on YouTube whilst the BBC bought the rights to show the racing from finals day on the Red Button. The decision was treated with caution by much of the rowing world; such a bold step into the future may not have sat well with an event that prides itself upon the past.